nd you into a common man? It's rubbish: we're neither of us
no good as we are."

Richard laughed--rather bitterly, though.

"Polly and I have had it all over, sir. I went down to her
school-place, poor little lass. She's very unhappy, and we came to the
conclusion that with the cottage nicely papered and painted, and a
hundred a year, we should be as happy as the day's long. So come,
Master Richard--there's the place nohow for want of you. Come down, and
take possession."

"Humphrey, if ever there was a fellow born with the soul of a gentleman,
it's you. But no; there is such a thing in a man as pride, and I have
too much to accept your offer; and, besides, I have made an engagement."

"Not to be married, sir?"

"No, no; my ship, man, my ship."

"Oh!" said Humphrey; "because I was thinking, sir. There's Miss Rea,
you know."

"What about her?" said Richard, sharply.

"Oh, only that she's down at Tolcarne now, sir. They say she's been
better lately. There was some talk about her being engaged to an
officer--that captain, sir, as come down and stayed with us--you, I
mean--but they say that's all broken off, because he was married
already. His wife fetched him, and he's gone off in a regiment to
India."

Richard remained silent.

"Well, come--look here, Master Dick, you say you won't take the place
back?"

"Certainly not."

"Then let's go halves."

"Humphrey, it is yours by right; keep it," said Richard, decisively.

"Well, come then, sir, we were boys together, you won't refuse to do
your old companion a good turn?"

"Anything consistent that you ask me to do, Humphrey, I'll do with
pleasure."

"Then come down and be my best man at my wedding."

Richard hesitated, for there was a battle going on within his breast.
He longed--longed intensely to go down and see Cornwall again. Tiny Rea
was there--he might see her. Yes, and make himself more wretched than
ever, for he could not speak to her. It would be madness to go--and yet
once--to see the old place before he left England--just for a few hours.
And why should he not see Tiny, just to tell her of his unaltered
faith? He felt that he would give the world to go, and yet pride kept
him back, "All right--I'll walk in, Mrs Fiddison," said a voice, and
Frank Pratt entered.

"Well, Dick, old man, how are you? Ah, Humphrey, I told you I should
turn up some time."

"I'm trying to get Master Dick here, sir, to come down and be my best
man a